Caught between Beijing and Washington: Georgia struggles to secure its place among global powers

As leaders from across the region gather in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit (SCO), Georgia is notably absent. While Azerbaijan and Armenia strengthen ties with global powers, Georgia stays on the sidelines despite being an official strategic partner of Beijing.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze responded to questions about this absence, stressing that the parade in China was part of the SCO framework and that attendance should not be overinterpreted. He underlined that cooperation with Beijing is a priority, calling the China–Georgia strategic partnership “precious and important,” and promising new steps to strengthen it politically and economically.

But China is only one side of Georgia’s global partnership web. On the other side lies the United States—where relations have cooled in recent years. Echoing the President’s appeal, Kobakhidze voiced the government’s desire to restart ties with Washington “from a clean slate,” presenting a roadmap for renewed cooperation. He noted that the lack of attention from the Trump administration was “surprising,” suggesting it may reflect the influence of what he called the “Deep State.” Still, he insisted that if this influence does not prevail, nothing would prevent the revival of the strategic partnership. 

It is worth noting that this appeal comes against the backdrop of Georgia’s two neighbours in the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan and Armenia, having taken steps to upgrade their respective relations with the United States. On 8 August, Azerbaijan and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at developing a Strategic Partnership Charter, while Armenia concluded new agreements that build upon existing bilateral arrangements.

The picture that emerges is a Georgia caught between two global poles—seeking to protect its bond with China while struggling to reanimate its once-vital alliance with the U.S. In the meantime, as regional neighbours deepen their own ties with great powers, Tbilisi faces growing questions over whether this pause in partnerships leaves the country isolated, and how that isolation could shape both its foreign policy and domestic political debates.

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